Telephone-phonographic means of communication



Aug. 4, 1931. G. R. COOPER 1,817,611

TELEPHONE PHONOGRAPHIG MEANS OF COMMUNICATION Filed Sept. 22, 1928 q VE 1% Patented Aug. 4, 1931' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE W COOPER, OF UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP, DELAWARE COUNTY,

' PENNSYLVANIA TELEPHONE-PHONOGRAPHIC MEANS OF COMMUNICATION Application filed September 22, 1928. Serial No. 309,196.

9 conversation and the present application is a companion to my contemporaneously pending application Serial No. 307,712.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanism designed to automatically and electrically convey a message across a telephone as soon as a party calling is connected by the central operator. Thus if one party is calling another over the phone and the second party is absent amessage will be communicated audibly to the caller, communicating the fact that the, party called is not in, and directing the caller to deliver his message into the transmitter in order that his message may be electrically recorded upon a phonograph in the oflice or home of the party called. a

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device containing economical sound recording mechanism located in an of-' fice, home or the like, which operates, in the act of a party calling speaking into his telephone transmitter. In thus calling a party on the wire, the message transmitted by the party calling into the phone, will be suitably and instantly recorded accurately. When the party returns who has been absent, he can readily listen to and recover the message that has been recorded during his absence.

5 The present invention is also effective to record a conversation had over the telephone between the party calling and the party .called, without the party calling knowing that his message is being. recorded for instant recovery. This becomes important oftentimes when it is desired to have a record of a telephone communication in proving the making of a contract and the like in court.

This invention consists of parts that are so combined and arranged as to assure the restoration to normalcy of all circuit connections affected by message recording mecha- Vith the above and other objects in view my invention consists of the combination, ar-

.The clapper B is carried by a rangement and details of construction disclosed inthe drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings; wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation; partly in section, of the parts of my invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmental detail view of a message stop device,

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, partly in end elevation,

Figure 4 is a detail elevation of a solenoid used in conjunction with my invention,

Figure 5 is a detail elevation of'a solenoid used in conjunction with my invention,

Figure 6 is a detail elevation of a device for returning the apparatus to normal when a caller hangs up the receiver of his telephone before receiving entire message from wax cylinder 40.

Referring to the drawings which are merely illustrative of my invention 10 designates the base of the telephone instrument located 7 in any local station or place, and 11 isthe box housing the parts of the telephone signal apparatus. A receiver 13 is removably hung upon a switch arm 12, the usual transmitter 14 also being provided. so

A designates the telephone bells in the box 11, and B designates the clapper for sounding the bells, when a call being made.

11 oscillating bar D having a center of movement at C,

while a rod E mova-bly connected to the bar D is pivotally connected at its upper end, to a movable armature 83; F designates the casing containiirg the parts for operating the receiver and transmitter. Terminals 15 and 16extend from this casing F as follows: a wire 17 runs from terminal 16 to an clectro-magnet 18 from which runs another wire 19 tothe main telephone line; another wire 26 runs from terminal 15 to the main telephone line. A wire 21?) is "connected from terminal 16 to a wire 27 which connects with a contact 84: mounted on a bolt 25 se cured i-nthe box 11. Wire 27 connects to a wire 28 which runs to one side of the battery 29, a wire 30 running from the other side of this battery to a contact post 31 mounted upon the base of an electrical motor 35, there being another post 32 on this lnotor from which runs a wire 64, which connects with a contact post 65a located at the upper end of the box 11. Post 65a connects through knife switch (ll-JV wit-h armature 2383 which contacts with bolt 25.

The motor 35 has a shaft 36 upon a pulley 36a, on which pulley is trained a belt 37 which is also trained upon a pulley 38 fixed upon a. countershaft 39 suitably mounted in a standard 37 At each end of the shaft 39 is a phonographic cylinder designated respectively 40 and 40a. Over the cylinder 40 is mounted a plurality of longitudinally separated hook members or contacts 41 having preferably integral collars 44 slidably and adjustably mounted upon a rod 42 positioned by means of the legs 43, screws 45 being employed to lock these sleeves in any desired position. 7

Associated with the wax cylinder 40 is a recorder-reproducer 46 having a support 47 which is operatively mounted slidably and adjustably upon the rod 51 of a balanced bracket or teeter 51. Support 47 is engaged by a spring coiled around the rod 51, this spring also bearing against an adjustable stop 97 haying a fastening latchor set screw 98.

The needles of styluses and 60d are carried by recorder-reproducers 46 and 46a respectively. i

A balanced bracket or'teeter, similar to the one already described, is associated for use in conjunction with the other wax cylinder 40a, and it is counterbalanced by the first named cylinder. Each bracket or teeter is designed to be verticall movable, being guided in such movement y the collars 59 formed upon the ends of fixed arms 57a and 57b of standard 57. The brackets or teeters are respectively formed centrally at their upper planes with suspended arms. 52 and 52 having elongated slots 53 and 53' 1nto which project pins 54 and 54 which are mounted upon the teeter 55 pivoted centrally at 56 to the standard 57.

61 designates a handle of a make and break switch consisting of contacts W and 650. The switch 61 makes contact with a knife member W connected to the armature 23. The switch, so far as the present invention is concerned is made to control the making and breaking of a circuit having electrical connections secured to contact WV and contact 650. A contact post 66 is seecured to the upper end of box 11 and from it runs a wire 68 to a contact 80 which is secured to a conductive rod 79 adjustably mounted within an arm 72 formed upon a bracket which is insulatedly mounted upon a sleeve of magnetic power, which sleeve is carried in embraced relation by the solenoid 69; the sleeve itself being supported in erect position by means of the post or pedestal 88. There is a separate solenoid with mountings associated with each phonograph 40 and 40a, the parts being somewhat similar. lVire 680 (see Fig. 5) connects contact 73 with the solenoid 69. A wire 74 runs from this solenoid 69a to the wire 7 4d to make and break contact member 740 mounted upon, in insulated relation, a standard 57. This contact 740 is pressed against by contact 745 mounted upon and insulated from rod 800. (See Fig. 3).

\Vire 740 runs from contact 747) to wires 74c and 741- to contact 74;) which is insulated from plunger 761-, circuit then continues through shoe 85, slide rod 87, wire 74m, wire 74, battery 29, wires 28 and 28d, post 66d, armature 23, contact 67, wire 68, binding post 80, conductor 79 and contact arm 72.

\Vhen one spider moves up the other moves down by virtue of the pendulum or teeter 55.

Assuming that the machine is in its normal position, as shown in Figure 1. The phone bell rings and the telephone circuit to recorder-reproducers 46 and 46a are closed and the motor circuit is also closed and the caller is receiving a message from cylinder 40. lVhen the message is over and the roller contact operatively carried by the needle carrier 46 contacts one of the hook contacts 41, which has a contact with rod 42, joined by the wire 74a, electrical circuit is closed to solenoid 69a as follows from 74a to solenoid 69a, through wire 68?) to binding post 7 3a, to the arm 7 2a, through the conductive rod 7 9a, binding post 8011, wire 690, battery 29, wire 28, wire 27, post 84, contact 25, armature 2383, switch 61, post 65a, wire 210, wire 89, binding post 48; thence roller 96, hook 41, post or arm 42, wires 74a and 74d, contacts 7 40 and 74b, wire 7 46, back to the wire 7 4a.

Plunger 76a has now been electrically attracted by solenoid 69a, has moved downward and the circuit is broken by the insulation 7 8a entering arm 72a, but spider 51a is held steady in its present position by the action of brakeshoe a pressing against plunger 76a. Shoe85 is mounted terminably upon a slide rod 87 a: coiled spring being interposed between holder 84 for rod 87. A telephone-receiver transmitter 77 is mounted at the upper end of the standard 57, being preferably hung upon an armature 800 by the link or hanger 78; at the end of this armature is a binding post 82 from which runs a wire 210 to wire 28 which runs to one side of battery 29.

As the recorder-reproducer for the wax cylinder 40 moves either to reproduce sounds or to record the same, while the Wax cylinder is rotating, the support 47 of the recorder-reproducer moves against the spring 50. com pressing it; this continues until one of the hook contacts 41 is reached. Secured to needle carrier 46 is a latch lever 93 which is fulcrumed to swing upon a pivot 92 on the carrier; the free end of the lever carries a roller 96 while its opposite end 94 is slidably secured to a retractable spring 95; this spring normally disposes the roller just low enough in advance of the needle 60 to pass over hook The office is closed now as our hours are from .9 a. m. to 4.30 p. m. If you cannot call up in contact 41 and latch thereagainst as this needle reaches the end of its sweep having traversed a predetermined distance intervening between the adjacent end of the wax cylinder and the first hook contact 41. It is necessary to latch this needle to prevent spring which is compressed as the needle moves longitudinally from pushing the needle back and thus scratching the record cylinder, and also to allow the electrical contact effected by the contact roller 96 and hook contact 41 to be of sufficient duration of time. lVhen the needle nears the particular hook contact 41 the roller 96 in advance of it will automatically, as the needle continues to move upon the cylinder, engage and move over the ridge of this hook contact so that the needle engages one side of this hook contact 41 while the latter roller engages the other side thereof; the contact of needle 60 withhook contact 41 closes a circuit to solenoid 69a.

In operation when it is desired to record messages of varying character upon the cylinder 40, which is for transmitting messages over the phone to parties calling while a person is absent, the person talks into the transmitting instrument 77, the particular message it is desired to record uponthis cylinder. See that the switch W is' open and the switch 650 closed. 1

Place the receiver transmitter or needle carrier 46 on the correct section of the cylinder 40' by lifting lever or frame 55, adjusting the stops 98 and 46k, and then lowering frame to place the needle upon the record cylinder40. Take the receiver transmitter 77 off the hook? 9 of the contact lever 60b to allow the formerto spring up automatically against the contact 81 to close the motor circuit. As frame 55 is lowered the armature plunger 51d is also lowered and is held down in this position by the pressure of the spring pressed brake shoe 85, attached to the solenoid 69a. The motor circuit is closed as follows: contact 81 to binding post 34 to wire 33through motor to-wire 30, to battery 29, through wire 28 and 216 to binding post 82, contact and back to contact 81. The operator then speaks a message through receiver-transmitter instrument 46, such as follows i I Hello, Blank and Company speakin the morning, please dictate and leave your message.

The person then calling receives this mescontact with contact post 25. The talking circuit is closed while talking is in progress, as follows: telephone line wire 19 is connected to electromagnet 18; from this magnet wire 17 runs, and connects through wire 21b to wire 27' which is connected to contact post 25, engaged by armature switch 83.

which, when switch W is closed (as it should be when "the ofiice is closed) is in circuit with contact 65a; wire 210 runs from contact 65a and connects through wire 89 with binding post 48 of the receiver transmitter 46; and

from the other binding post 49 runs a wire 90 connecting through wires 21 and 2179,.

armature 23, wire 21% to the other telephone line wire 26 of the tal (ing circuit. It will be seen that the transmitter 14 and receiver 13 of the distant circuit is included in the talking circuit through wires 19 and 26. This energizes the receiver transmitter instrument 46. The circuit to motor 35 has also been closed as follows: from contact 65a, through knife switch W, through armature "83, contact post 25, wires 27 and 28 to one side of battery 29, and from the other side of the battery runs a wire 30 to the motor 85, and a wire 64 runs back from this motor 35 to the contact 65a. The motor thus starts running and turns both cylinders 40 and When the owner left his office for home he closed the switch 61, lowered down manually the spider plunger 51d in the solenoid 69, to place the needle 60 on the appropriate message section of the record 40; the brake shoe 85, which bears against plunger 76a holds the plunger and both cylinders steadily in position So when the motor circuit is closed the receiver transmitter 46 having already been energized, the cylinder 40 begins to turn, and the needle 60 begins to trace the record inscribed or indented on cylinder 40 and the result is that the caller hears the message intended to be conveyed during the absence of the party -called.

As receiver transmitter 46 continues to move the message is being heard by the caller, until the roller 96 of the lever 93 which travels with this instrument rolls over the raised edge of the next adjacent hook contact 41, at which time the needle abuts this contact immovably, as the spring 95 is compressed enough to allow the roller When the needle 60 comes to a stop after having delivered the proper message, it contacts thehook contact 41; this closes the electrical circuit to the electro-magnet or solenoid 69a, (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 4) as follows: from hook contact 41 to rod 42, wires 74a and 74d, contacts 740 and 74?), wires 74@ and 74a to the solenoid 69a; from this solenoid runs wire 68b to the binding post 73a; when the armature plunger 76a is in upper position, as it is while the message is being delivered from cylinder 40, the conductor portion 79a makes electrical contact with binding screw 7 3a,

which is insulated from body 70a; and by means of wire 690 connected to the conductorport-ion 79a of armature plunger 760, current flows to one side of battery 29 from the other side of this battery current flows through wire 28, wire 27, binding post 84, contact 25, armature83, switch IV, contact 65a, and thence runsa wire 210 to wire 89,- through binding post 48 to needle 60 and roller 96, thus completing the circuit. When solenoid is thus energized armature plunger 7 6a is drawn down being held in this position by the brake shoe 85 which yieldably allows this plunger to move downward. In this position the nonconducting portion 78a of armature plunger 76a breaks the electrical contact between' binding post 78a and conductor 79a which breaks the solenoid circuit instantly.

As armature plunger 76a moves downwardly urged by the solenoid 69a the needle or stylus 60a is brought into contact with cylinder 40a, and the caller may now register a message upon the wax cylinder 40a. As the spider 51a is lowered the pendulum 55 swings to raise spider 51 aaad with it the receiver transmitter instrument 46 out of engagement with the wax cylinder 40. In this manner the message delivering circuit is open, while the message recording circuit is closed and recorder-reproducer 46 has been moved to a position superimposed over its initial position by action of spring 50.

When the person calling has delivered his message and has hung up the phone the circuit to the receiver transmitter 46 at the right of Fig. 1 is disrupted or broken as follows: due to hanging up the distant receiver. the central exchange operator breaks the circuit connections through main telephone wires 19,

' 26 and thus electrical magnet18 is deeners1ze11 gized, which causes the armature 2383 under influence of spring 24, to fly upwardly into contacting engagement with 67 and 67d, and to move out of engagement with binding post 25 and with contacts on ends of wires 21;) and 21g. It will be noted that this portion of the armature 23-83 is insulated from 'the right section thereof by insulation 82.

76; thence through arm 72, wire 68c and solenoid 69 and out through wire 74;, 74d, contacts 740 and 74b of circuit breaker wires 746, 74?, contact 74g (see Fig. 4), shoe 85, stem 87, wires 74m and 74, and then back to the other side of the battery. As a result, the solenoid 69 thus energized draws plunger 76 downwardly in turn causing spider 51 to lower, and placing needle 60 in contact with message transmitting wax cylinder 40, brake shoe 85 holding plunger 7 6a up and therefore plunger 76 down by action of balance rod pendulum 55. The spring 50, in conjunction with the above action had previously readj usted the receiver transmitter 46 to its initial normal position for conveying the very next message, as it is evident that just as soon as spider 51a goes down spider 51 comes up, causing roller 96' to roll'upwardly off contact strip 41, until, being .free spring 50 shifts member 6'0 back to normal position. Spider bracket 51a has moved upwardly as the pendulum 55 has swung to lower spider 51, and needle a of the receiver transmitter at the right of Fig. 1 is out of contact with the adjacent cylinder.

Should the caller hang up when needle carrier 46 is part way through a message on cylinder 40, armature 23 flies upwardly and energizes a circuit to solenoid 69d as follows:

Stop 46h contains a binding post 460 which electrically connects with contact 46f. Wh'en needle 60 has started a message on the way, carrier 46 moves to the right allowing spring 462' to pull contact 467' against contact 46f thus establishing a circuit to solenoid 69a as follows: 69a, 68b. 73a, 72a, 79a, 80a, 69a, 30, 29, 2s, 28d, 66d, 23, 66, 68. 46m, 46g, 46a, 46 46k, 43, 74a, 74d, 74a, 74b, 74:6, 74a, back to 69a. Now 7 6a plunges 46 rises and is pushed back to normal by the spring 50, thereby disconnecting said circuit as 46 and 46f are now separated. As the spider 51 is up, the solenoid 69 is automatically energized andthe machine restored to normal. The stop 46b is also designed to prevent spring 50 from. pushing needle carrier 46 past the point where speech starts, or ofi the message record.

Reproducing and recording needles may be interchanged in the record-reproducers. Means in common use, with necessary modifications, will be employed to move recorder-reproducers on the cylinders.

Having described my invention, I claim: In apparatus of the character described the combination with ,a telephone circuit, a motor mechanism controlled by the closing of said telephone circuit, a record carrier operated by said motor mechanism, a sound reproducing device coacting with a record on said carrier and connected in circuits With said telephone circuit, a second record carrier operated by said motor mechanism,

a sound recording device cooperating with a record on said second named record carrier, said sound recording mechanism being in circuit with said telephone circuit, a magnetic mechanism controlled by said sound I his hand this 5th reproducing device for positioning said sound recording device in operative relation to a record on said second named record holder, an electromagnetic mechanism controlled by said telephone circuit for positioning said sound reproducing device in operative relation with a record on said first named record holder.

In witness whereof he has hereunderset day of July, 1928. GEORGE R. COO-PER. 

